A 2013 lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont against the Corrections Corporation of America over public records access has been settled.
The ACLU represented Prison Legal News, a national publication that reports on prison issues. It sought records for an investigation of lawsuits brought by prisoners held in CCA jails. The state of Vermont contracted with CCA for prison services from 2007 until earlier this year.
CCA did not provide the documents, saying as a private contractor it was not subject to public record law disclosure requirements. A judge ruled that CCA met the criteria, saying imprisonment "is one of the most intrinsically governmental of functions."
The ACLU says the settlement reached this week regards fees and costs to plaintiffs.
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